Dar es Salaam Things to Do

4 more images

When I was walking in Mandazi road I was invited home to the Nicodemue family to eat dinner. They lived in a small house with 2 rooms, and they all shared the same bedroom.

We went inside some narrow sidestreets, through a labyrinth of small houses.

Nicodemue, the proud father from the Muha tribe in Kigoma was living here with Raonia (mother), The children: Jovin (10 years), Evarena (13), Angelina (16), Jacilina (18), Veronica (21), Naomi (23), Redemta (26), Luminata (29), Anastacia (31), Sophia (34), Herman (36).

The family was poor, but very friendly. And the food was... a good experience. Fish with mashed root.

3 more images

The harbour is located in the downtown, with the ferry to Zanzibar as a busy part of it. When you approach the harbour, some local people may ask you if you are going to Zanzibar, and make you a offer to buy a cheap ticket. It's reasonable to be sceptical against it because some tourist have been fooled to buy ticket with the wrong date.

Go to one of the offices located at the harbour. As a Mzungo (a white man), you will be taken good care of because you pay 3 times as much for the ticket as the locals. It's no way to bargain if you are white!

You can choose between different kinds of ferries, from the cheap and slow, to the expensive and fast. I took a ferry called Seagull. It was one of the fastest and I paid 40 USD. Locals paid 10000-15000 Tanzanian shilling (10-15 USD).

If you are going to Zanzibar on the week-ends, make sure to book your ticket one day in advance. The ferry companies will not accept more than the maximum number of passengers. You may have to wait for the next ferry. Or in some cases pay extra if the ferry company offload some of the locals (they will get their money back).

Please note that you have to wait in an open transit hall before you can enter one the ferries to Zanzibar. It is hot and not enough seats for everybody. Especially not in the week-ends.

Some of the harbour workers will also try to do some extra business by carring the luggage for tourists. Be smart and carry your own luggage because they charge up to 10000 Tanzanian shilling (10 USD) for each luggage after they are onboard.

4 more images

Open from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. everyday.

Entrance fees: I paid 6,500 Tshs . My Tanzanian Guide paid 1,500 Tshs.

The Museum and House of Culture Dar es Salaam (known as National Museum Dar es Salaam) was opened to the public in 1940.

We visited two buildings. The first one comprises of the History Hall, the Biology Hall and the Ethnography Hall. The National Museum of Tanzania has exhibitions on human origins, ethnography and history of the country's cultural heritage from 1900 during the German colonial period when the first collections were made while constructing the central railway line. You will also find some preserved sea creatures found in the country. I can't remember what exactly I have seen in the second building. Outside it are some oldtimer. Those cars must have been very costly when they were purchased.

A small shop sells only a few things (like t-shirts and some wooden craft). Toilet without bowl is available for public use. There seemed to be no chairs/tables at the coffee shop but I have seen ladies preparing something at the counter.

Tanzanians recommended that I visit their Fish Market. Well, I sure did!

Like in any other fish market, the best time to go is very early in the morning. But hey, I was having my vacation so waking up early is not included in my "must do". So, I went there around lunch time when there was no more rush. Nevertheless, I enjoyed seeing what was left from a very busy morning. Some fishermen's housewives were selling fried fish of different kinds. There were still some fish , the fishermen were cleaning their boats and their stands/booths. Attractive seashells are also being sold and I was almost tempted to buy some but I remembered that I have no place to put them.

Anyway, I decided to go to the Fish Market to have a good lunch. However, as it is not really a tourist spot, there are no fancy restaurants around the area. So I ate with the locals. Just across the street, there are about two eateries. There are some flies around so if you are kind of sensitive, it's not a place for you.

The waiter bought the fish across the street (from the Fish Market) and served them with rice or chips which they have in their shop. It was nice to eat with locals really. My driver offered our fish to two ladies who were with us at the same table. Without hesitation, they did really take some and we ate altogether. I liked the atmosphere - the people in the crowd come from rural areas and well, I saved lots of bucks in the end because the food was cheap.

1 more image

Where I grew up on the Atlantic coast of Canada, the waters that 'warm' our shores flow down from the Arctic and Greenland, and we get them after they have been deflected our way by the warm Gulf Stream, which continues on its way across the North Atlantic Ocean to Europe. Even in the peak of summer, the water temperature in the Bay of Fundy along the south coast of New Brunswick is only 7/8 C (43/45 F), and I can remember many numbing experiences as a boy contending with the only thing we had to swim in!

On the first full day in Dar es Salaam after arriving, our charter planeload of 110 volunteers from Canada took a short trip up the Indian Ocean coast to a place that still operates today, the Silver Sands Hotel. I still remember the shock of getting into water that felt like a warm bath - the Indian Ocean temperature at this latitude varies between 22-28 C!! It was difficult to believe that such a thing was possible, but it sure was enjoyable as we sat there either enjoying the sunshine or hiding from it under the beach umbrellas.

The 2nd photo is from the first postcard I sent home from Africa to my parents, dated Aug. 20, 1972: "Well, we finally made it to Africa last night at around 10 PM local time. It's really great. Slept under a mosquito net last night. Today we all took a chartered bus out to here and went in for a dip in the Indian Ocean. We move out for Zambia tomorrow. The food all has a different flavour but I'll get used to it". I see that I have learned to run my sentences together a bit better as I've become older!

4 more images

A visit to the downtown of Dar es Salaam can be stressful if you are not prepared for heavy trafic and a lot of people.

I think the atmosphere in the downtown is different from the f.ex. Msasani and Mikocheni area. The local people rush away to/from work, and the smile isn't there as it is in the other more relaxed parts of Dar es Salaam.

In the downtown you will find public offices, postoffice, ferryboat to Zanzibar. But the embasies is located in the Msasani area.

4 more images

Mandazi road is a busy and pleasant street in a poor area of Dar es Salaam. The street is a shortcut and the fastest way to get from Mikocheni area to Msasani area. It's a spirited street with simple bars and cafe's on both sides.

4 more images

You don't have to go to Zanzibar to find beaches. The city of Dar es Salaam has many beaches.

The area of Msasani has nice beaches, Coco beach, located between the city centre and Msasani is also nice. And there are other small beaches located around the city. As closer you get to the city centre, the more dirty the beach is. If you like to go to a calm and clean beach, go to Kipepeo Beach or take a ferry to one of the small islands around the city.